Mumbai, Dec 23 (IANS) A key Indian equities index built on its morning gains Wednesday and breached the 17,000-point mark around noon.
The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 16,723.96 points and was ruling at 17,007.48 points, up 315.48 points or 1.89 percent from its previous close at 16,692 points at noon.

Around the same time, at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was at 5,081.2 points, against the previous close at 4,985.85 points, a gain of 1.91 percent.

Broader market indices were also in the green, with the BSE midcap index up 1.12 percent and the BSE small cap index ruling 1.45 percent higher.

The market breadth was tilted towards the positive, with 1,871 stocks advancing, 672 scrips declining and 86 remaining unchanged.

Among major gainers at this time were NTPC, up 4.47 percent at Rs.224.55; Infosys, up 2.8 percent at Rs.2,571.50; RIL, up 2.65 percent at Rs.1,045.75; and Sterlite Industries, up 2.54 percent at Rs.827.

There was only one loser on the 30-scrip Sensex — Bharti Airtel, down 0.23 percent at Rs.321.25.

Most other Asian markets were ruling higher.

A key Japanese index, the Nikkei, closed on a three-month high, ending 1.91 percent or 194.56 points up at 10,378.03 points.

In China, the Shanghai composite index was ruling 0.58 percent higher in the green at 3,068.1 points backed by gains in telecom stocks.

The Kospi, the benchmark index of the Korean Stock Exchange, was up 0.35 percent at 1,661.35 points.

However, the Hang Seng, a benchmark index of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was under selling pressure and was at 21,081.83 points, 0.05 percent or 10.21 points down.